Inside the Illinois 2025 Rankings: Risers and Newcomers
May 18, 2023
After an eventful winter full of events and a good chunk of the IHSA season now behind us, the Class of 2025 in Illinois was in dire need of an update. There were a ton of new names who entered into the fold, as well as a number of others who continue to elevate their game. For a look at the complete 2025 rankings, click HERE.
We recently published a rankings story diving deeper into the Top-10, which you can find HERE.
Today we’re highlighting some names that either made a jump within the rankings, or made their debut. You can find detailed scout notes on each player mentioned, below.
Risers
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Joshua Holst LHP / 1B / Libertyville, IL / 2025Rankings StateRank: 12 / POS: 3
RISING: 29 spots
3/01/23
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Austin Musso RHP / 3B / Mascoutah, IL / 2025Rankings StateRank: 15 / POS: 4
RISING: 23 spots
4/3/23
6-foot-1, 180-pound well-proportioned athlete with plenty of physical projection to come. Started on the mound for Mascoutah in this contest against a strong Belleville West team. Hurled six no-hit innings, striking out eight. Allowed one baserunner to reach throughout his outing, issuing a walk in the bottom of the sixth. Works with pace and tempo on the mound, lead leg lifts to an upright posture at balance, tall/fall type mover downhill. Consistently finished in line and onto a firm front leg, tall through release. Clear competitive presence on the mound, challenged and trusted his stuff throughout, got ahead often. Short quick arm draw out the glove, finished from a clean high ¾ slot. Fastball touched 88 mph twice in the second inning, held 85-87 mph in a 90+ pitch outing. Flashed some life up in the zone, worked mostly on the corners with comfort going in-and-out to both handed hitters. Commanded it in the zone throughout. Landed a 70-71 mph curveball with depth and gradual action for strikes. Turned to a firm, tight, more laterally spun slider at 74-77 mph for whiffs, used it mostly to the glove-side corner of the plate. In 17 innings pitched this spring, across four starts, has struck out 31 batters and walked only five, failing to allow an earned run yet. Has the stuff, makeup, and mound presence to be a frontline arm now, and at the next level. Continues to show out as a high-follow arm in the state’s 2025 class. /var/www/html/login/modules/Player_profiles/shortcodes.json not found
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Gavin Triezenberg SS / Brother Rice , IL / 2025Rankings StateRank: 18 / POS: 2
RISING: 37 spots
5/11/23
Uncommitted and currently ranked No. 18 in the Illinois’ 2025 class. 6-foot-3, 190-pound, wide-shouldered build with developing strength. Started at shortstop and hit in the five-hole. Natural infield defender with athletic actions and overall polish to his game. Slows the game down, never seems in a hurry, comfortable on the move, quality glove presentation and hands play soft and out in front. Clean release, internal clock and accurate arm. Offensively, right-handed hitter, calm and relaxed look in the box. Looks to use the big part of the field, works to keep his hands inside the baseball with natural loft through the zone. FInished 1-for-2 with a sac bunt (4.36 down the line) and scored a run. On the rise, uncommitted sophomore with plenty more ceiling to tap into down the road. /var/www/html/login/modules/Player_profiles/shortcodes.json not found
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LHP Joshua Holst (Libertyville, 2025) was another arm that should rise considerably up the state rankings. Holst catches your eye immediately with his 6-foot-2, 205-pound, hulking, physical build, which is made even more impressive by the way he moves down the mound. Holst is highly-athletic down the mound working with smooth tempo, staying on-line, repeating and filling up the strike zone with his fastball (80% clip) that sat 85.7-87.8 mph with an average of 16.9 inches of induced vertical break and 13.3 inches of horizontal movement. He complimented the fastball with two above-average offerings in a sweeping slider at 71.6-72.6 mph and a changeup that is thrown with intent and showed above-average feel at the bottom of the zone. Has a chance to be a high-level left-handed arm in the class.